Flash News

Port Blair, May 10: The Pradesh Yuva Congress President, Shri John Robert Babu has written a letter objecting the personal name being used by the Member of Parliament on the buses purchased under MPLAD Scheme, to the Lt Governor with copy to the Deputy Commissioner SA.

In his letter Robert stated that the buses purchased with the MPLAD scheme are plying on the roads advertising the name of the Hon’ble Member of Parliament, Shri Bishnu Pada Ray as if these have been donated by him from his personal fund.Robert said that Shri BP Ray has no authority to write his name on those buses as these have been procured from MP LAD fund, which is a public fund and is highly objectionable.

Adding the list of prohibition, prescribed in the guidelines of Government of India Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Robert wrote that no assets purchased under the scheme can be named under the concerned Member of Parliament of any State or UTs. He therefore requested the Administrator to intervene in this issue and consider issuing orders to remove the name of BP Ray as Donner from all such buses and issue necessary press note about the meaning of MPLAD fund/ scheme and list of prohibitions under MPLAD, to make aware the common public.

LIST OF WORKS PROHIBITED UNDER MPLADS

1. Office and residential buildings belonging to Central, and State Governments, their Departments, Government Agencies/ Organizations and Public Sector Undertakings.

2. Office and residential buildings, and other works belonging to private, cooperative and commercial organizations.

3. All works involving commercial establishments/units.

4. All maintenance works of any type.

5. All renovation, and repair works except heritage and archeological monuments and buildings with specific permission available from the Archeological Survey of India.

6. Grants and loans, contribution to any Central and State/UT Relief Funds.

7. Assets to be named after any person.

8. Purchase of all movable items except vehicles, earth movers, and equipments meant for hospital, educational, sports, drinking water and sanitation purposes belonging to Central, State, UT and Local Self Governments. (This will be subject to 10% of the Capital Cost of the work for which such items are proposed)

9. Acquisition of land or any compensation for land acquired.

10. Reimbursement of any type of completed or partly completed works or items.

11. Assets for individual/family benefits.

12. All revenue and recurring expenditure.

13. Works within the places of religious worship and on land belonging to or owned by religious faith/group

Port Blair, May 10: The residents of CARI road made a request to the PCC President, Kuldeep Rai Sharma to take up with the concerned authorities the matter of construction of at least three proper speed breakers in between Forest Range office and CARI gate in Bathu Basti. The residents informed that this half a kilometre stretch of narrow road has become a racing track for the light and heavy vehicles and the two wheelers who drive at a breakneck speed. Since there are no footpaths, pedestrians find it very difficult and risky to walk on this road with vehicles zipping past them. The children stepping out of their homes are the most vulnerable to a probable mishap.Many minor accidents have already happened and a fatal one cannot be ruled out some day.As such there is a dire need of at least three speed breakers between Forest Range Office and CARI Gate.

On receiving the request, Sharma personally visited the CARI road area and found that the demand of the residents was very much justified. He has taken up the matter with the Chief Engineer, APWD, Shri. P.K. Singh and requested to take immediate steps to construct at least three speed breakers of proper specification for the safety of the residents of the area, especially children. Kuldeep has also requested for finding out other such places also for constructing speed breakers for the safety of the people of the islands.

Port Blair, May 10: The Lt Governor, Lt Gen (Retd) Bhopinder Singh has sanctioned fifty thousand rupees as ex-gratia relief from LG’s Relief Fund to Shri S. Linga Raju, S/o Shri S. Jagannathan, Haddo for his treatment as he is suffering from chronic non-healing ulcer on his left foot and required skin grafting, which has to be performed at higher centre by the Plastic Centre. Shri Linga Raju had met the Lt Governor during the Tuesday’s public hearing and requested for financial help for his treatment.

Considering the poor financial condition of Shri Linga Raju and based on the report of Deputy Commissioner (South Andaman) and Director (Health Services), the Lt. Governor has sanctioned the relief amount.